Housed draft gear



Feb. 16, 1960 E, H, BLATTNER 2,925,182

HOUSED DRAFT GEAR 0 I, 9 l i Il @g ma '-3 lf '-5 FIG. 3 FIG. 5

Inventor:

Emil H. Blattner B, wwf/WM his Aorney Feb. 16, 1960 E. H. BLATTNER Houssn DRAFT GEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1955 FIG. 6

IIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII I III- figg FIG. 10

FIG. 9

FIG. 8

Inventor Emil H. Blattnei his Aforney United States Patent' Y HOUSED DRAFT Y Emil H. Blattner, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to The lSlmington Wayne Corporation, a corporation of Mary- Application November 10, 1955, Serial No. '546,033 Claims. (Cl. `Z13-40) rugged construction of both plungerand housing effec# tively to limit the relative outward movement of the plunger. Y 1 p.

fAnother object of theJ invention is to provide an irnpro/ved draft gear fof the type described, `wherein the plunger, at atleast one end of the housing, acts ,directly` on a rubber cushion and `both`plunger and cushion are insertible through an open side of the housing.

improved housed draft ge'ar having a plungerat either end and employing a pluralityA of rubber cushions, the several components being so` constructed and arranged as to provide a draft gear combining -high capacity with relatively long travel and consequent softness of action under bufring forces.

i A further object of the invention is to provide an improved selective travel draft gear of: the housed type employing rubber cushions and plu'ngers at either end for relatively long travel under bufing'forces.

lAnother object of the invention is to' provide an irnj proved housed draft gear of the double-ended type wherein iresilient andV friction means are utilized to yieldably resist and cushion longitudinal forces and the resiliency is supplied entirely by rubber cushions. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention .will ap.- pea-r hereinafter' in the detailed description, be ,particw lalfly` pointed out in the appended claims and be illus,- tr'ated inthe accompanying drawings, in which` "Figure l is a side elevational `view of one embodiment.

of -th'e 4draft gear of the presentainve'ntion with portions b'roken away and shown in section to more elearlyillus.-V ,55

trated 'certain of the details of construction;

Figure 2 is aplan View of `the draft' gear of FigureY l with portions'broken away and yshown in section tozmore clearly/illustrate certain of the details `of construction;

i Figure 3is an end elevational VView taken from the rear end Yof the draftgearof Figure 1;

Figure 4- is at vertical sectional viewtaken along `the` Figure 45 is a view partly in lelevation and partly inf vertical secrtin taken `along the lines-S-Sof Figure 2;

Figure'` 6 'is a side elevational view of another embodim'it of the 'draft gear of the present invention with portions broken away and shown in sect-io'n to more 'clearly'.

illustrate-certain of the details of construction; p

Figure7 is? a plan view of the draft gear of Figure 6 `An additional object of the invention is; toprovidean;

This invention relates generally to draft gears for railhousing opposite that seating the shoes`1 are connectedv "at either side Vby Webs 18 disposed substantially parallel to each other and coplanar with the corresponding 19V with portions 'broken away and shown `in section tomore clearly illustrate; certain of the details of construction;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line- 8 8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional lines 9-9 of Figure 7; and l l Figure l0 is an end elevational view taken from `one end of the draft gear of Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, both of the illus,

Patented Feb. 16, 196g,

view taken along theV trated embodiments of the draft gear of the present invention are of the double-ended type in which longitudinal forces are transmitted to the cushioning mechanism within the housing through a plunger seated in either end. In

both, at least one end of the housing houses a rubber cushion and is open-sided for enabling the rubber cushion and the asso'cated plunger to be inserted into their re spective seats through the opening in the side of the hou's'-,

ing, this construction, as will be explained, affording al draft gear of simple and rugged construction. Although each `utilizes rubber as its sole resilient means, the embodiments dier in several respects and will now bedescribed separately.

Referring iirst to the embodiment of Figures 1-5, the

draft gear of this embodiment employs both friction and resilient means for snubbing longitudinal forces, the friction means being in the form of a plurality of transversely j or laterally spaced counterpart shoes or wedges 1 seated in a housing 2 and having wedging faces 3 frictionally4 engagingcorresponding wedging surfaces 4 formed on(4 opposite walls 5of the housing 2 within and adjacent an open end 6 thereof. The friction surfaces 4 on the oppolf `site side walls flare or diverge outwardly relative to eachfn other towards the end of the housing and the shoes -1,. when in position, are limited in their outward movement relative to the housing by the lateral overlap between out standing feet 7 .forming the inner ends of the-shoes and` nstanding shoulders 8 demarking the inner ends of the friction surfaces 4.

The shoes are urged apart and into frictional engagement with thehousing by leaf spring or other resilient means, a rubber cushioning unit being preferred and that illustrated being of the Waugh-Mat type which is made up of alternating rubber pads 10` and metal plates 11 withl the pads joined in pairs through theintervening plates. .f T he shoes .1 and interposed` rubber cushions 9 thus are A adapted to` both `yieldablyor resiliently and frictionally .resist any 4forces applied at that end of the draft gear? through a plunger. 12 seated in the adjacent open end.

or mouth 6 of the housing and having rubbing engagementWith-the outer ends of the shoes. when seated, is pressable inwardly but restricted in out-' The plunger,

v ward movement relative to the housing, so `as to hold'fths portion of the draft gears cushioning mechanism, in as? sembled relation, by suitable means such as the` disclosedf.:

pins 131.

flhe partlofv'the housing 2 in which the shoes andjas-` sociated cushioning unit arecontained is closed at` all four sides. However, the remainder of the housing,

tofa pointgadjacent its opposite end, is open-sided to provide a pocket 14 open completely or unrestrictedly f over a pair of its opposite sides and closed on its other pair of sides by opposite, substantially parallellongi;

tudinal extensions 15 of the walls 5 of the housingmon which the friction surfaces 4 are formed. Both t`o` ref inforce these Awalls and to seat an associated As'econdQh plunger `16, the walls over the end portion 17 of the ofthe pairs of 'opposed Walls enclosing the shoes:"1';

Within the pocket between the inner transvers'ewall 201' of the second plungerld and the opposed faQZl of a:l ioatng follower 22, the opposite face of Whichr'iibs" against' the inner ends of' the shoes 1, is a rubber cushion 23' similar in composition to but of`greater capacity than the iirst rubber cushioning unit 9 and acting longitudinally of the housing instead of laterally, as does the first u'nit.

l Conventionally, a plunger is inserted into a housing scribed plunger V12, necessitating` either that the plunger be canted'during application or that it beheld in placeby means drivable inwardly to overlap the, plunger. laterally, as are the pins 13. By contrast,.the plunger 16- at'this end of the housing, while having a body or main portion 24 of substantially box shape which. extends through and projects from the longitudinally extendingr passage or mouth 25 of the housing defined bythe.. ex-

tensions of the Walls 5 andthe connecting webs 18,.

hal'sai pair ofiintegral anges 26 outstanding from opposite sides and substantially coterminous in` outwardl extentwiththe corresponding outside lateral or. transverse.

to correspondingly bevel the confronting edgesV of tl'iev Webs 18 to provide a seat 28 for seatingthe plunger in thernorrnal position' of the latter. v

tofbe slid or` inserted into its-seat 28 from* Within/the housing'Z throughfeither of the open sides.29"of"the .v pocket 1`4`1`without canting and, when seated, istlimit'e'd in. outwardmovement relative to the housing by the' engagementlof. the flanges 26 of' its extended base 20".

with the seat 278'. AIt Will, of course, be understood that ina'ssembly the second rubber cushion 23lwhich, along with the first cushion 9, preferably is precompressed'or under initial'compression to'v eliminate slack in themeclianism and is insertible through one of the opensides 2.9

of the housing, is inserted in the pocket 14' after t-he plungerjhas been seated.

In Figures 6-10 the present invention is.l shown em-V bodied' in a double-ended draft gear of the selective.

travel type. The illustrated draft gear of the' second embodimentv is comprised of a housing 30 havingA an.

open-sidedpocket `31 towards either end, similar inconstruction to the pocket 14 of the first embodiment,lfor receiving and seating one of the two longitudinally acting rubber cushions 32, the latter preferably being ofthe type' known as' Waugh-Mats, previously described Eacliof the pockets 31 is closedv at its inner end by one of' a pair of longitudinally spaced, transversetintermedi ate'walls 33 in the housing.l The pockets are unrestricted o'rop'en on' a pair of their opposite sides and enclosed on" their vothfer two sides by a pair of transversely spaced,.

substantially parallel longitudinal walls 34, here the side. walls, which extend the length of thehousing. At the outer-or opposite ends of the pockets 31' and relatively restricted: in cross-section, are the longitudinally7 openingj'opposite' passages, mouths or openingsV 35in thehousing,.ea'ch` of which is defined by the. side walls' 34T'V and" a pair of transversely spaced webs 36 connecting, the side wallsf adjacent their outer extremities orrcorners. As in" the case-of that in the rearwardportion of vthe rstembodment, the passage 35 at each endofthe draft gear of this embodiment is adapted to-slidably receive. tli'egbody portion 37 of a plunger 38 whichhasl a base 39! substantially co-extensive in cross section witli the associated pocket .31 and, in the direction ofithev integral.

ngesf40 at either side of the base, sisubstantially, co-

ter-minous withk the corresponding outsidetransverse dimension of the housing 30.A So, also, the iiangesare thickened attheir inner extremities and theinouter faces: 41 converge or taperoutwardly and are adaptedi'to seat'.

'spaanse against and be restricted in outward movement relative to the housing by` correspondingly inclined orv beveled' surfaces 42 on the webs 36; With this construction, the plungers 38 are enabled to be inserted into their seats through either open side of the associated of the poel;- ets 31 and on subsequent insertion into each pocket of one of the rubber cushions 32;A each is adapted to be With. the above construction the plunger is enabled-3o pressed, forced or pushed inwardly against the resistance of the precompressedrubber cushion and* on release of this forceto=returnfto=itsseat. Y

The total Y traveltv in@ the, presentA standard A-.AlaV draft gears is 2% inches. Both embodiments of the draftfge'ar of the present-invention are designed to provide greater travel'on theorder' of 41/2: inches with corresponding increase in capacityiand.'tofrtb'etween the center sills (not shown) of a railway car in an oversize draft gear pocket such as is now under contemplation by the AAR. The draft gear of the first embodiment has the same maximum travel underV both buffing and draft forces. However, thatof.' the'sec'ond embodiment is of the selective"v travel type, affording full travel under bufling forcesand more limited'travel underthe' lesser draft forces.

To thevaboveendtthe housing 30 between tlie'intermedia-te walls 33v has a column. or post 43 extending, transverselyf of the'- housing,A here'v horizontally,- this cen..y tral portion of` the-housing: being reinforced` at-either side' byfspacedlongitudinally extending ribs4 44 connected.y tot bothL/thefinterme'diatefwallsand the column. The ooh` umn 43 isiopen throng-hi itscenter to provide' a key slot'f 45 for the reception of the usual draft key (not shown.

the! d-raft key' infturniextendingbeyond. the Vkey slot throughy aligned; rearwardly' elongated slots (-'notfshown);y inl the?. center.v sillsfi (-notf shown )t If, as* in the usual.` apfV plicationg the drafti gear'iScOntained verticallyfby the.4

jaws (not shown)rv of.` a verticalyoke (not shown), ther rearwardelon'gation' off the slots in: the center sills will permit' both rubber cushions; 32 to` be compressedv by; their plungers" 38' between: conventional front and1 rear:

blocks.y 46Y reacts against ther associated stop lugs. (not j shown)` on'ztheV center sills (not shown) and the of:

cushioning mechanismsv within the housing will act.. inv seriesfvtoresist.compressive` forces, depending onlyonwthe amount of forcef'applied and regardlessy of whether! this: force is a; bu-ing: or a. draftv force.

Eoxnthe abovedetailed description, it willrbe"apparent--l that'there has been: provided'an improved. draftgear of! the housedtypein. whichV ati least one rubber cushioniscontainedinan. open-sided pocket and. compressed under longitudinal forces by anrassociated plunger,1 the coni struction and arrangement ofA the. severaly components.` being such as:` to simplify their construction;` facilitate. assembly'and renderrthey draft gear. encient. and rugged inv operation,I and.v that` in the illustrated. embodiments@ there; havevheen' provided double-ended draftgjears-a ofi highA capacity'and'l long travel. in. at least' one direction. It should be understood thatthe described and disclosedembodiments are merely exemplary ofthe inventionsand that all modifications are intendedtobeincluded whiclti donotdepart from either the'spirit of the inventionfor the scopeof thezappendedclaims. i

Having described the invention,l what is claimed is:

1. Atdraft gear comprising a housing, a pocket'in said housing, a side opening to said pocket: in a' side' of said'` housing, means closing an inner end ofv said pocket; a' passage restricted in cross section relative to said"pocket" andy extending therefrom through an adjacentiendof said sertible thereinto through said side opening in said housing, said plunger having a portion inwardly of and of greater cross-sectional area than said passage for limiting outward movement of said plunger relative to said housing, and a rubber cushion seated in said pocket between said closed end and said plunger and insertible thereinto through said side opening for yieldably resisting inward movement of said plunger relative to said housing.

2. A draft gear comprising a housing, a unitary plunger at each end of said housing and pressable inwardly relative thereto against yieldable resistance under longitudinal forces, a pocket toward at least one end of said housing and opening unrestrictedly through a pair of opposite sides thereof, means closing an inner end of said pocket, a passage of less cross section than said pocket and opening therefrom through an adjacent end of saidl housing, one of said plungers seating in said passage and being insertible thereinto from within said housing through an open side of said pocket, said plunger inwardly thereof being of greater cross-section than said passage for limiting outward movement of said plunger relative to said housing, said pocket between said closed end and said plunger and insertible thereinto through an open side of said pocket for yieldably resisting inward movement of said plunger relative to said housing. t f s 3. A draft gear comprising `a housing, aunitary plunger at each `end of said `housing andpressable inwardly relative thereto under `longitudinal forces, a plurality of rubber cushioning means in said housing and each yieldably resisting inward movement of one of said plungers, a pocket adjacent to one end of said housing and openingunrestrictedly through opposite sides thereof, means closing an inner end of said pocket, and a passage of less cross-section than and extending from said pocket through said one end of said housing, one of said plungers seating in said passage and being insertible thereinto through an open side of said housing, said one plunger inwardly of said passage having a base portion greater in cross-section than said passage and substantially equal in cross-section to said pocket for limiting outward movement of said plunger relative to said ho-using, and one of said rubber cushioning means being insertible into said pocket through a side thereof and yieldably resisting inward movement of said one plunger.

4. A draft gear comprising a housing, a pair oflongitudinally spaced pockets in and each adjacent an opposite end of said housing and each opening unrestrictedly through a pair of opposite sides thereof, means in said housing closing inner ends of and spacing said pockets, a passage of less cross-section than and opening from each of said pockets through an adjacent end of said housing, a unitary plunger seating in each of said passages and insertible thereinto through an open side of the associated of said pockets, each of said plungers inwardly of its respective passage having a portion of greater crosssection than said passage and engageable with means on said housing for limiting outward movement of said plunger relative thereto,'and a rubber cushion seating in each of said pockets and insertible thereinto through an open side thereof for yieldably resisting inward movement of the associated of said plungers under longitudinal forces.

5. A draft gear comprising a housing, a pair of longitudinally spaced pockets in and each adjacent an opposite end of said housing and each opening unrestrictedly through a pair of opposite sides thereof, longitudinally spaced transverse walls in said housing and each closing an inner end of one of said pockets, a passage of less cross-section than and opening from each of said pockets through an adjacent end of said housing, a unitary plunger seating in each of said passages and insertible thereinto through an open side of the associated of said pockets, each of said plungers inwardly of its respective and a rubber cushion seated-inl 6 passage having a portion of greater cross-section than said passage and engageable with means on said housing for limiting outward movement of said plunger relative thereto, a rubber cushion seating in each of said pockets and insertible thereinto through an open side thereof for yieldably resisting inward movement of the associated of said plungers under longitudinal forces, and a key slot extending transversely through said housing intermediate said transverse walls and cooperating through a draft key with aligned slots in center sills for blocking out one of said cushioning means on application of longitudinal forces from one direction to said draft gear.

6. A draft gear comprising a housing, a plunger at each end of said housing and pressable inwardly thereof through said opposite end of said housing, the other of said plungers seating in said passage and being insertible thereinto through said side opening to said pocket, said other plunger inwardly of said passage having abase portion of greater cross-section than said passage for ,limiting outward Ymovement of said plunger relative to 30V said housing, and rubber cushioning means seating in said pocket between said other plunger andV said friction means for yieldably resisting inward movement of said other plunger.

7. A draft gear comprising a housing, :a plunger at each end of said housing and pressable inwardly thereof under longitudinal forces, a pair of counterpart friction shoes within and adjacent one end of said housing and each having a friction face engaging a corresponding friction surface on said housing, resilient means between and urging said shoes transversely and said faces and surfaces into frictional engagement, said friction shoes and resilient means coacting to yieldably resist inward movement of one of said plungers, a pocket in said housing between an opposite end thereof and said friction means, said pocket extending unrestrictedly through a pair of opposite sides of said housing, a passage of less cross-section than and opening from said pocket through said opposite end of said housing, the other of Said plungers seating in said passage and being insertible thereinto through an open side of said pocket, said other plunger inwardly of said passage having a base portion of greater cross-section than said passage for limiting outward movement of said plunger relative to'said housing, and rubber cushioning means seating in said pocket between said other plunger and said friction means for yieldably resisting inward movement of iboth of said plungers.

8. A draft gear comprising a housing, a plunger at each end of said housing and pressable inwardly thereof under longitudinal forces, a pair of counterpart friction shoes within and adjacent one end of said housing and each having a friction face engaging a corresponding friction surface on said housing, a rubber cushion between and urging said shoes transversely and said faces and surfaces into frictional engagement, said friction shoes and rubber cushion coacting to yieldably resist inward movement of one of said plungers, a pocket in said housing between an opposite end thereof and said friction means, said pocket extending unrestrictedly through a pair of opposite sides of said housing, a passage of less cross-section than and opening from said pocket through said opposite end of said housing, the other of said plungers seating in said passage and being insertible thereinto through an open side of said pocket, said other plunger inwardly of said passage having a base' portion of greater cross-section than said passage for' limiting outward movement ofv said plunger relative to said housing, rubber cushioning means seating in said pocket inwardly of said other plunger and insertible thereinto through an open side thereof, and a floatingl follower between said last named ru'bber cushion andV said friction shoes, said last-named rubber cushion yieldably resisting inward movement of both of said plungers relative to said housing.

9. A `draft gear comprising a housing, a plunger at each endv of said housing and pressable inwardly thereof under longitudinal forces, friction means in and frictionally engaging saidhousing, resilient means in said housing and urging said friction means transversely into said frictional engagement, said friction and resilient means coactingto yieldably resist inward movement of one of said plungers, a pocket in saidhousing between an op.-`

posite end thereof and said friction means, a side opening to said pocket in a side of said housing, a passage ofv less cross-section than and opening from said'vpocket through said opposite end of said housing, the other of said plungers seating in said passage and beinginsertible thereinto through said side opening. to said pocket,.said other plunger inwardly of. said passage having a base portion of greater cross-section than said passage for limiting outward movement of saidk plunger relative to said housing, and rubber cushioning means seatinginV said pocket between said other plunger and said friction means for yieldably resisting inwardmovement of` said' other` plunger.

.lOl A draftA` gean comprxsinga` housing, a plunger at each end oflsaid housingiand pressable inwardly thereofunder4 longitudinal forces, a pairY of counterpart frictionf shoes-within and adjacent one end ofY said housing and each having` a friction face engaging a corresponding friction surface on said housing, resilient means lbetween and urging. said'shoes transversely and'said faces and' surfaces intoI frictional engagement, said friction shoes and-resilient means coacting to yieldably resist inward'- movement of one of said plungers, a pocket in saidf housingbetween an-opposite end thereof and said friction means, said pocket extending unrestrictedly through` apair of opposite sidesofV4 said housing, a passage ofI less cross-section than and opening from said pocket` Y References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,050,541 Olander Aug. 11, 1936 583,635 Bath"- Jan. 20, 1952 2,720,987' Blattnerf Oct.18, 1955 25,856,078' 

